Furnace for separating zinc from ores.



No. 7l052|7. Pate'ntd Sapt. 30, |902.

A. M. G. SBILLT. FURNAGE FOR SEPABATING ZINC FROM DRES.

(Application led Feb. 19, 1900.)

(Nb Model.)

.m .MW

ATRNT tnica.

UNITED 'STATES AMDEE MATHURIN GABRIEL SBILLOT, or PARIS, FRANCE.

FURNACE FOR SEPARATING ZINC FROM ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofl Letters Patent No. 710,217, dated September 30, 1902.

Application iiled February 19 .1900. Serial No. 5,763. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

lSe it known that I, AMDE MATHURIN from Orcs, of which the following is a specication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the furnace. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line AB C of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section back of the firebox. l

Reference being had to the drawings in detail, it willbe seen that my improved furnace is builtin substantially rectangular form and provided with suitable masonry base, side, and partition Walls. The combustion port-ion or furnace proper is divided into two compartments a and b by' a vertical partition e, Which extends from the base longitudinally through the furnace between its front and rear Walls and somewhat nearer the latter than the front walls.

At the front of the furnace, extending through its front Walls and communicating with the lower portion of the compartment a, is a series of blast-pipes c, through which air is admitted under pressure from any suitable source. Extending transversely through the lower portion of the partition @fare openings d, which provide communication between the compartments a and b. Y

The furnace is provided with a sheetmetal lining which extends above the masonry walls, and in the front side thereof is an opening l, through which the ores to be treated are placed in the compartment a, and in the rear wall of which is an opening 2, through which charcoal is introduced to the compartment b. At the bottom of the compartment y b is a grate q, on which the charcoal rests.

From the rear Wall of the furnace extend two compartments, which are separated from each other and have separate means of communication With the furnace. One of these compartments is subdivided into three parts 7L, 7n, and l and serves as a condensing-chamber, While the other compartment o serves as a dust-chamber. Arranged transversely of the condensing-chamber in alternate series are upwardly-extending baffle-plates j and before reaching the gas-outlets.

downwardly-extending baille-plates t'. The part h is at the front end of the condensingchamber, is lined with sheet-metalf, and communicates directly with the furnace through transverse openings g in the rear Wall of the furnace. The bottom of the part h of the condensing-chamber is recessed, as atj", and in said recesses the zinc is collected in liquid form. InA the portions f Z metal dust which may escape condensation or conversion is collected.- Communicating with the rear portion of the chamber Z is a flue m, in which is placed a damper n, operated by the cranklever n and its connections, arranged exterior of the Walls of the flue. The dust-chamber o is arranged above the front end of the istic features of the improvements forming the subject of my invention are obvious. There are, first, the arrangement ofthe airblast pipes opposite the openings through which the gas iows away; second, the furvnace being of rectangular form the air (lows through a uniformly thick layer of ore, iiux, and fuel, so that the entirequantity of oxygen contained in the air shall b e consumed Thus I produce a regular approximately horizontal aircurrent which when in contact With the coal produces carbo-nic and carbonous oxid, so that at the outlet the zinc-vapors are entirely maintained in a metallic state. The only outlets in the furnace being the openings g into the chamber h and the opening p into the chamber o, it is apparent that the gases generated in the furnace must pass through said openings. y The draft being greatest through the openings g,the greater part of the gases Will pass therethrough after passing through the bed of charcoal in the compartment b of the furnace; but the lighter gases and particles will pass upward and escape through the opening p'.

It Will be understood that in the compart- ILC ment a will be placed the ores and sufficient fuel to effect their combustion and reduction; but in the compartment b only charcoal will be placed, which when fired becomes incandescent, and over this incandescent mass all the zinc vapors or gases will traverse before entering the condensing-chambers described.

The passage of the zinc-vapors over incandescent coal has been applied for a long time past; but my arrangement of the partition, permitting of the charging of the furnace in the usual Way and dividing the furnace into two parts and the arrangement facilitating the discharge of the resulting ashes and dust, constitutes a very simple apparatus of easy operation. Furthermore, the movement of the gas and vapors is directed by a draft by means of the damper-s n or a ventilator or exhauster, so that the metallic vapors of greatest density may be discharged into the condenser, at the saine time allowing the carbonio gases which assist the reduction to rise and escape into the dust-chamber, and from a suitable opening therein and the pipe 02 leading to the tine m.

The condenser presents novel features,hav ing regard to the4 fact that it contains a tight chamber of great capacity provided with baffle-plates, assisting the condensation, and in regard to the division of the bottom into compartments the object of said division is to separate the zinc from the lead. The lead vapors being. more readily condensed 'and of greater density have'a tendency to remain in the first compartment, so that the last compartment contains nearly pure zinc.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a furnace for extracting zinc from ores, a combustion-chamber divided into front and rear compartments adapted to hold the ores to be treated, and charcoal, respectively, airblast pipes communicating with the front compartment, said compartments connected by openings in their division-wall, and condensing chambers connected by suitable openings with the upper and lower portions of said rearcompartment of the furnace, substantially as set forth. 

